FAQs

Question

You're renewing your vows? Why are you having a wedding if you're already married?

Answer

We got engaged on Mikayla's birthday, December 8, 2024. A week after we got engaged, Mikayla's grandmother got really sick and almost didn't recover. We intended to wait at least a year to plan our wedding. On Monday, February 24, 2025 we married in Eugene, Oregon, on the very residence grounds of Mikayla's grandmother's senior living apartment complex. It was that small, cozy glass chalet that we shared our vows, loving words, and a few tears. We are so blessed to have been able to celebrate with her. As much as we would have loved to have all family in attendance, only very few guests were invited for the sake of Grandma's comfort and health. That small mini-wedding was planned in just 4 short weeks. It was truly an honor to share those happy moments with Grandma. As lovely as that was, we did not get a chance to personally write our vows, nor did we get the opportunity to celebrate with all of our friends and family. This upcoming celebration in May 2026 is just after our 1 year wedding anniversary, 7 years together. It is a chance for us to share words from the heart, and our intended personally written vows. It is very special, and it would be our honor to share this day with all of our loved ones.

Question

What can we expect?

Answer

Visually, it will look like a wedding-- but it runs deeper than that. We did not get to experience the traditional "wedding" and would like to take this opportunity to do so, but by calling it "renewal of vows" rather than "wedding" it shines light on the promises we have already shared with one another. There will be a white dress, bridal party, groom's party, etc. We hope that it is enjoyable for all of our guests. There will be food, drinks, music, and hopefully a chance for everyone to create wonderful experiences and memories. For more information on scheduling, please visit the schedule page. For information on traveling and things to do, please visit the travel page.

Question

Why not have 2 weddings?

Answer

It is more meaningful to us to elevate this celebration by acknowledging that we are already married to each other rather than pretending that we aren't. If we hold a second wedding, it means that two families are coming together, which is not exactly the case for us. It also doesn't feel as genuine, and by "renewing our vows" it makes the experience much more meaningful. We are already a family, we are establishing that family between the both of us. 1 year of marriage is very difficult for a lot of couples, and we would like to not ignore our efforts. We want to mark this a celebration in the making, and celebrating our anniversary with our vows is exactly what we intend.